Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace '''is the offical residence of the Holy Germanian Emperor, located in Berlin. The palace is a setting for Imperial occasions, royal hospitality, and basic cermonial and offical operations. It has been a rallying point for the Holy Germanian people at times of national rejoicing and crisis. Orignally known as '''Charolette's House, the building which today forms the core of the palace was built in 1703 as a large townhouse for the Duke of Lauenburg, with the king living in Bellieve Palace, on a site that had been privately owned for 150 years. It was acquired by King Fredrick II of Prussia and named Charolette's House in honor of Charolette, queen consort of Britain, one of his distant cousions, and became a house for the crown prince of Prussia. During the 19th century it was enlarged and in 1837, Frederick William III of Prussia moved in. The last major additons were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1871, after the proclamation of the Empire, the house was renamed the Imperial Palace and became the Emperor's offical residence. In 1913, the last additions were made. In World War I, the palace suffered volleys of zeepelin bombs. In World War II, the palace chapel was destoryed, nearly claiming the life of Willhelm II. The state rooms, used for offical and state entertaining, are open to the public in July, August, and September, as part of the Summer State Openings, while the Emperor and his family vaction in the countryside; the Imperial Gallery was constructed on this site in 1948 and has been available to the public since 1962. History The site In the Middle Ages, Imperial Palace's site formed part of the Manor of Elichystibuch. The marshy ground was watered by the river Tlenisk, which still flows below the courtyard and south wing of the palace. Where the river was fordable (at Cow Ford), the village of Eichmann grew. Ownership of the site changed hands many times; owners included Emperor Otto I in late Dark Age times, and, after the Golden Bull, Emperor Charles. Charles gave it to Geoffery James demothwur, who bequeathed it to the monks of Berlin. In 1531, Charles VIII acquired the Hospital of Bellinair, from the Margarve of Brandenburg, and he took the Manor of Elichystibuch from the monks of Berlin, who had held it for three centuries. These transfers bought the land of the Imperial Palace back into royal hands since Charles 300 years prior. During the 17th century, various owners leased parts of the lands from royal landlords. By now, the village of Eichmann had decayed and had no residents, falling and rotting, and the area was mainly wasteland. Needing money, the Empire sold off parts of the crown lands to various lords but retained a fifth of the site in which the Family of Royals planted a garden. Houses on the Site Goth House Possibly the first house erected within the site was that of a Felix Adolfhin. The next owner was Lord Goth who from 1633 extended Adolfhin's house and developed much of today's garden, then known as Goring Great Garden. He did not, however, manage to obtain freehold interest in the mulberry garden. Unbeknown to Goring, in 1640 the document failed because of legal errors (this helped the Prussian Royal Family to buy the house in 1761). Hohenzenic House The improvident Goth defaulted on his rents; Jan Hohenzenic, Mayor of Bremen, obtained the mansion and was now occupying it; then known as Goth House, when in 1674, it burned down. Hohenzenic House rose on the site-the southern wing of today's house-the following year, and it's freehold was obtained in 1702. Charolette's House The house which forms the architectural core of the present palace was built for the Duke of Lauenburg in 1702. The style chosen was of a large, three-floored central blook with two smaller service flanking wings on the sides. The building was eventually sold by the Duke of Lauenburg's descendant to Frederick the Great in 1761 for $456,000 Prussian Dollars. Frederick the Great refused to sell the mullbery garden intrest, so the Duke's descendant only owned three-fourths of the estate. When the building was sold in 1761, the house came into the Kingdom of Prussia's royal family's possession. From Royal House to palace The house was orginally intended to be a private retreat, in particular for elements of the Royal Family-it was known both as Charolette's House and informally as The Royal House-many princes and dukes of Prussia were born there. Bellieve Palace remained the offical royal and cermonial residence. Remodeling of the structure began in 1762. In 1820, King Frederick III of Prussia embarked on a renovation for a comfortable, reasonable house, yet with elegance and style, but with limits. While the work was in progress, in 1826 the King decided to make the house a palace. The funiture was brought from Sttenia and the paintings and scupltures from Italy. Many family belongings were placed in the palace. The cost of the revonvations grew astronmically and because of this Johim Wurtepp, archtiect of the Palace, was dismissed in 1830 for his costly designs. The king replaced him with Fritz Scoffer. Home of the monarch The Imperial Palace was completed in 1837 and became the principal residence, when Frederick issued a royal proclamation making it the central residence. Though the state rooms were glamarous, the majority of the palace had no such luxuries. The chinmey stunk and was cloudy and the rooms were cold two-thirds of the time. Frederick nearly moved out, but stayed,